Alfa Romeo: the personalities that shaped the myth

Alfa Romeo is a legendary car manufacturer so it is of no surprise that mythic personalities helped shaping it. Some of the Greats who have contributed to the creation of the Alfa Romeo legend, are Tazio Nuvolari, the "flying Mantuan", Enzo Ferrari, Ascari, Fangio, and designers Jano and Giugiaro.

Snatched from Fiat through the intervention of Enzo Ferrari, Turin-born designer Vittorio Jano arrived at Alfa Romeo in 1923 and immediately made his mark with the legendary P2, a car destined to remain undefeated for seven years.

He also designed the 1750, which dominates the Mille Miglia in 1929 and in 1930, and the P3, which after 1932 was to become the favourite car of the greatest drivers of the time. He left Alfa Romeo in 1937.

Ascari was born in the Mantua region in 1888. A mechanic, someone always on the go and besotted with engines, Ascari finally realised his dream of racing competitively. In 1921, with Campari, he won the Parma-Poggio Berceto race, gave the P2 a winning debut in 1924, and then claimed victory again in Poggio Berceto, and at the GP in Spa, before heading to Monthlery for yet another victory. But tragedy struck on the 22nd lap: Ascari's extremely fast P2 touched a protective barrier that should have been removed. The car overturned and Ascari was killed.

A good driver, competent diplomat, and great businessman, the relationship between Enzo Ferrari and Alfa Romeo is both long and complex. He began racing in the Twenties in the Targa Florio with a 40-60 HP, crossing the finish line in second place overall, and continued to race successfully for the next decade.

But Ferrari became an important figure especially in the strategic-organisational phase. His enterprising nature led him, in 1929, to found the Scuderia Ferrari (Ferrari Stable), which in 1932 became Alfa Romeo's race representative, a role it fulfilled until 1938, when the name was changed to Alfa Corse. Ferrari was soon to return to Modena, leaving Alfa Romeo for good.

Nuvolari

Ferdinand Porsche said he was "the best driver in the past, present and future". Small, boney, and fragile in appearance (Ferrari said of him "I hadn't really credited the skinny fellow at all, but during the race I realised that he was the only other competitor who could threaten me") Tazio Nuvolari had a combination of courage, skill and a nose for victory that made him unique. His achievements, his aggressive and surprising racing style, and his rivalry with Varzi became part of legend and captured the fans' imagination.

He came to Alfa in 1930, won the Mille Miglia convincingly, followed by the Targa Florio, and then the Monza GP with Campari. Perhaps Tazio's happiest year was 1932, when the "flying Mantuan" has a triumphant season - seven overall victories, and five category victories. He became the undisputed Italian champion and achieved first place in the International Driving Championship. Tazio's popularity was overwhelming. Gabriele D'Annunzio presented him with a small golden tortoise ("the slowest animal for the fastest man") which Tazio pinned to his yellow racing jersey. He won at Le Mans in 1933 and in 1935 he defeated Mercedes and Auto Union in a spectacular race at Nurburgring.

Known as the Argentine Fox, Fangio was an icy Argentine with a precise driving style, endowed with exceptional tactical sense. Smart, highly skilled and lucky, Fangio is perhaps the best driver of all time. He is certainly one of the drivers who won the most, claiming five titles in a richly rewarding career.

The first world title came in 1951 with Alfa Romeo, driving a 159 designed by Orazio Satta. He won the opening race in Switzerland, then again in France. He lost to Gonzales at Silverstone but did not lose heart. He claimed victory in the Spanish GP to become champion. After retiring from Alfa Romeo's official racing team, Fangio took part in the Mille Miglia in a Milanese car. He was leading till Florence, and was unlucky that a breakdown on the Appennines slowed his progress and saw him finish the race in second place. He later drove for Mercedes.

Giorgetto Giugiaro is credited with designing some of the best-selling cars in the world. He is responsible for much of the creative process, enjoying designing the exterior, while other parts are left to employees. Giugiaro is the father of many an Alfa classic, from the 2000/2600 Sprint, the Giulia GT, Alfasud to the recently launched New Alfa 159 and Brera.

In both the 159 and Brera, Giorgetto Giugiaro brought together the essence of creative thinking, shaped around the concept of a contemporary, elegant, refined and essential car, capable of grasping that spirit of adventure and pursuit of quality that runs through the Alfa brand and its history like a golden thread and carving out technological evolution that translates into a unique synthesis of almost intimate and intentionally reserved driving pleasure; requisites that make their statement through classic appeal and elegant lines, designed to weather time.

These personalities are only a handful of the many who contributed to the Alfa myth and who also had a major impact on motoring history. All the people who contributed, at some point or another, to Alfa's history intertwine almost like a double helix, creating the Alfa DNA of technological excellence and a highly satisfying sporty drive found in every single Alfa Romeo car that is produced.